1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of making a combination hub and catheter, and to an intravenous catheter assembly.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Catheter assemblies are frequently used for passing fluids between a device such as a syringe or a drip to or from body lumens such as veins or arteries, or other internal target sites. Such an assembly usually includes a hub, a catheter, and a needle. An eyelet ring is usually inserted into the catheter. The catheter, together with the eyelet ring, is then inserted into an opening in a nose of the hub and is secured to the hub by press fitting the eyelet ring within the nose of the hub. A needle is then inserted into the catheter. A sharp tip of the needle is used for piercing a body lumen so that access can be gained into the body lumen by the catheter and the needle. Once the catheter and the needle are located within the body lumen, the needle is removed. A syringe or a pipe of a drip is then attached to the hub so that fluids can be passed through the hub and the catheter between the drip or the syringe and the body lumen.
The hub is usually made of a material providing sufficient rigidity thereto and the catheter is usually made of a material which is flexible, at least when inserted into a body lumen and when exposed to moisture within the body lumen.
The above described method by which the catheter is attached to the hub is cumbersome and expensive and requires complex assembly machines.